More on Cables on the Machine

There's lots of different resources for suggestions on making cables on the machine. Susan Guagliumi, Susanna Lewis, Youtube. I've seen a few different ways myself. And I've done lots of the suggestions.

But .. always one of them isn't there? Something is always missing, cause I keep mispatterning. Like a lot of other people. I've just completed a red Corona with nice cable pattern on the machine - this is try three.. after the first messy failures...

step 1:

look at the pattern

Step 2:
Can it be done on the machine - max is 3x3 with reformed stitches inbetween, extra yarn?, extra stitchsize? - what ever - work it out on a sample before you start.

Step 3:
Rewrite the pattern:

Identify which needles are going to be in work on what row number. Identification of the correct needle is the single most important thing.. either write up a cheat sheet, mark in watersoluble pencil on your machine - whatever works to make sure each cross is on the correct needles.

This is what you see when working cables

Identify which way the cables are running, holding the yarn to the front or the back doesn't do me any favours, but what did work for me was:

Remove both sets of stitches to be crossed - on separate prong tools. ie 1 + 1; 2+2; 3+3.

Ok so now you have the stitches which has to be crosses and empty needles. Now this is where I come unstuck with the hold to the back/front. No help at all.

What I want to know is which goes where..

For example I worked out that this cable pattern had - always working left to right - the first pair left and the next pair right, I have two hands with stitch/es on prongs - the key being moving stitches closest to the bed in the correct direction, so the stitches next to the needle bed are going left and they get put onto their new needles and the ones remaining in the other hand get put onto the empty needle/s. I did the left moving ones first and the right moving ones next. It was very easy to work out - from the hideous mess I made of the second attempt to get it right, that I'd not managed at all with the front and back method! And we won't mention the wrong needles at this point either will we?

And here it is getting itself made, so quick and easy, no endlessly checking I'm on the right track and popping it on and off with the deckers. Then all I had to do was relatch the 2st gutter each side. I've done a few cables and made my share of total mess and redos.. but this project was done on the third try from start to finish, no undoing, redoing on this one. So for lots of reasons, it's always worth working out what works, not everything works for everyone, that's for sure.

How I Do Wrapped Short Rows

This is how I do short rows. Other people have their way, and this is my fav:

carriage on hold bring 1 needle out to hold - knit one row

Do the same on the other side

On this first pass I hold the second needle down

But some people just put it back - I find it will still come off the needle this way

I use the 3 prong tool instead - just under the stitches you want to knit - much better than a weight

and for sock heels, this is what I do, keep going 1 needle wrapping each end until a third of the stitches remain.

For more needles between wraps - a skirt for instance. On this one I'm doing 4 needles on one side (cause I borrowed my sleeve and I only have 50 sts), I bring out to hold 1 less needle (3 ndls), put the pong under the first needle held and the next two needles being knitted. When this row is knitted, I will keep the tool there, pull out the needle to be wrapped and knit back - this is a nice quick smooth way to ensure I get a good tight wrap, no stitches dropped or tucked to make it untidy

close up on the right side

this is the sample I knitted

this is what it looks like on the wrong side, but as I'm knitting it I can check it's going well. (and now my sleeve has done it's volunteering to be my short row sample, it's back to regular knitting and is now regular non short row sleeve.)